LOCAL Houston | The City Guide May 2016 - Page 68

TOOLS+GADGETS
Michael Garfield, The High-Tech Texan® | www.hightechtexan.com
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1. Samsung Galaxy Gear VR
I have seen the future and it looks stunningly real. I’d
like to say I time-traveled but since that is not yet possible, I had to settle by wearing the Gear VR from
Samsung. And the VR really does mean virtual reality.
The Gear VR is a headset that resembles something
Daft Punk would wear on stage. But once you put it
on and snap in one of the latest Samsung Galaxy
phones, it transports you to an “I am there” 3D
world. The headset doesn’t need a plug or be
charged as it acts like a high-tech View-Master when
peering at the smartphone.
Games are immersive and photos from around the
around are incredibly real as you turn your head in all
directions. Live sports such as soccer and The Masters
golf tournament may make buying event tickets obsolete. $99 www.samsung.com
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2. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Speaking of smartphones, Samsung continues to up
its game with its newest iteration of its Galaxy line
– the S7 and S7 Edge. It is a bit thinner and lighter
than previous Galaxy models but brings a faster
processor and a better battery.
I can go on and on with small details of why this
phone is the sexiest yet from Samsung but the most
stunning feature from Samsung is its amazing camera. It is almost a game with my iPhone®- carrying
pals…I see how many seconds it takes them to say
what a spectacular photo it takes and they may now
consider switching phones. It is worth it. $792
www.verizonwireless.com
3. Garmin™ Forerunner 630
The most important part of running – other than
the health benefit – is to accurately track your
time and distance. I have tried dozens of models
and one of the best I have used is the Garmin
Forerunner 630.
It could be the ideal runner’s watch with its hires touchscreen, GPS and Garmin Connect features like live tracking, audio prompts and social
media sharing. When paired with an HRM-Run
monitor, it can provide cadence, vertical oscillation and even stride length. $400 www.garmin.com